Seifert fears Premier League TV deal impact
February 27, 2015
Christian Seifert, CEO of the German Football League (DFL), fears the billion-euro TV deal recently signed by the English Premier League will put negative pressure on the Bundesliga and the German transfer market.
"Fact is, that midtable English clubs are in position to pay the same or more than German clubs pay their top players," said Seifert in an interview with German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung released on Friday.
"Clubs are compelled to engage themselves more if they want to hold onto their players."
Competition in the transfer market has grown "even fiercer" than it used to be according to Seifert. The Premier League have recently signed a television deal worth 9.5 billion euros - 3.2 billion per season - for the 2016-2019 seasons. The DFL are expected to take 835 million for the 2016/17 season.
Seifert said to German tabloid BILD earlier in February that he felt the money would force the Bundesliga to consider ways to make itself even more marketable.
Bundesliga a hunting ground
It's not "groundless to have fears that the richest league in the world can start shopping the Bundesliga shelves," said the DFL's leading man.
In April 2016, the DFL want to sell the Bundesliga rights from the 2017/18 season, with the hope of reaching an annual return of a billion euros.
Despite an increased representation in European competitions, Seifert also doesn't expect the Bundesliga schedule to change.
"If there are changes to the fixture list, then a strict framework will be followed, one that cannot be compared with Spain," said Seifert.
Seifert said there would not be nine kickoff times for nine games, as is the case in Spain. It also seems unlikely that the top flight will entertain a Monday night game, something Seifert doesn't understand considering the second division already has an evening game on the first day of the week.
"If you look at the kickoff times for the first and second division, then you can be sure that it would be difficult to accommodate further times," said Seifert.
jh/apc (SID, dpa)